Wollondilly Council is now seeking feedback on its draft annual Operational Plan and Budget, which focuses on the key areas of roads, jobs, customer experience and organisational performance.
The annual Operational Plan is being delivered as part of a one year extension to the current Delivery Program, which will now stretch to 2022 following the impacts of Covid-19 and the decision by the Office of Local Government to add one year to the term of the sitting Councillors.
Mayor Robert Khan said, "This Operational Plan reflects the current state of business for Wollondilly Shire Council, which is in a major period of growth and transformation."
"In the last 18 months, Wollondilly has faced many challenges including bushfires, drought, floods and Covid-19. These events have had a significant impact on the community and how we deliver our services."
"Throughout these challenges, Council has shown it is adaptable and agile in the face of disruption and change," he said.
Council has a focus on continual improvement and in 2021/22 is planning to concentrate on a number of key areas to enhance service delivery and organisational performance. The focus areas for the year ahead include:
- Roads, with more resources and funding
- Job creation, economic investment & tourism
- Customer experience
- Improving organisational performance for our growing Shire
Improving the condition of local roads is a key focus for both Council and the community.
The investment in road renewal and upgrades will be $17.31M in 2021/22, with the objective of the plan is to improve the road network, stopping further deterioration while reconstructing already failed roads. The program demonstrates a balanced approach of preventative treatments as well as full reconstructions.
There is a clear need for the NSW Government to take responsibility for some major Wollondilly roads given their traffic volumes. Council is requesting that roads including Menangle Road, Wilton Road, Macarthur Drive, Remembrance Driveway, Finns Road and Silverdale Road become State roads.
Local job creation through economic investment and tourism is a high priority. Council is directly investing $33.18M in local capital works to improve the Shire, stimulating local jobs through project delivery.
2021/22 will see the creation of a new Business Investment Concierge and Executive Planner to unlock greater business investment opportunities for the Shire and directly support local business growth and job creation.
Improving customer experience continues to be a focus for the organisation. 2020 saw Council take a big leap forward in online customer service, with the introduction of the new Customer Service Portal and other online service opportunities.
In 2020/21, customer experience plans will be developed for all service areas across Council, while improved technology processes and systems will make it easier for customers to do business with Council.
Another service improvement will be the introduction of a dedicated full-time duty planner, providing planning advice and supporting residents and small businesses to progress their developments.
Council is working hard to improve its performance as an organisation. The next year will see an increased emphasis on employee performance planning and development; recognising the challenge of ensuring great service outcomes while experiencing considerable growth across the Shire.
Council is developing a business enhancement plan focussed on improving organisational performance so we can effectively and efficiently grow our Shire for the benefit of the current and future Wollondilly.
